The band released one more studio album, Victory Day, and a Symphonic live album, The Symphony Sessions, before Tom Cochrane left the group to pursue a solo career. Members of Red Rider continued to play on his solo albums but Ken Greer did not.
In 2002, Tom Cochrane reunited with Red Rider, and they recorded two new tracks for Trapeze, a greatest hits compilation that includes material both from Red Rider and Tom Cochrane's solo career. They then recorded a new album, No Stranger, although the album was released under Tom Cochrane, not Tom Cochrane and Red Rider, perhaps to capitalize on the success of Tom Cochrane's solo career.
The style between Red Rider, Tom Cochrane & Red Rider, and Tom Cochrane music is very similar musically and lyrically, and Tom Cochrane was the strongest creative force behind Red Rider (thus their name change to Tom Cochrane & Red Rider), so it is arguable that there is any difference between each 'group'.
Good Times
Tom Cochrane & Red Rider Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bay at the moon
Rub each other down so good
Forget about the tune that's playing
Joan went east
And she went west
I stayed right here in the middle
The good times we had
Wouldn't worry about tomorrow
Cause tonight was all we had
The good times we knew
I'd tell you about them baby
But you were there, you were with me, too
And it felt so good
Funny how you look back on all the times we had
Remember all the good ones, forget about all the bad
Hanging out day after day in the hole in the wall
Things that seem to be so big then now somehow seems so small
The good times we had
Wouldn't worry about tomorrow
Cause tonight was all we had
The good times we knew
I'd tell you about them baby
But you were there, you were with me, too
The heart is a hunter, the heart is a friend
Searching the shadows, searching 'til the end
I heard she married a guy from the valley
Not for the glory but because he was a friend
When the fire burn out, and the waters run dry
The mountains have fallen, we'll remember those times
The seasons roll by, and the youth slips away
The glory has faded, then what will we say?
The good times we had
Wouldn't worry about tomorrow
Cause tonight was all we had
The good times we knew
I'd tell you about them baby
But you were there, you were with me, too
The good times we had
Wouldn't worry about tomorrow
Cause tonight was all we had
The good times we knew
I'd tell you about them baby
But you were there, you were with me, too
In Tom Cochrane's song "Good Times," the singer reminisces about the carefree and wild days of his youth, where he and his friends would listen to music recorded on a van tape and forget about their worries. The opening lines talk about the tape being put on and how he and his friends would bay at the moon while rubbing each other down. The line "Forget about the tune that's playing" indicates that the music wasn't essential; what mattered was the fun they had and the connection they shared. The second verse refers to a character named Joan, who went away while the singer stayed in the middle, where he liked it best. This line might refer to the singer's reluctance to change and move on from his comfortable routine.
The refrain of the song repeats the phrase "The good times we had, wouldn't worry about tomorrow, cause tonight was all we had." This line evokes a sense of living in the moment and not worrying about the future, which is a common theme in youthful anthems. The line, "I'd tell you about them baby, but you were there, you were with me too," shows that the singer is not trying to romanticize the past; rather, it's for the benefit of himself and his buddies- the sense of belonging and shared experience.
The third verse talks about the heart's insatiable desire to search and hunt for more, and how the people close to us fade away with time. The line "The glory has faded, then what will we say?" reflects the harsh realization that time marches on, and it's tough to hold on to those happy and carefree days of the past. The song ultimately celebrates the fond memories of the youth's wild shenanigans, evoking a sense of nostalgia and camaraderie.
Line by Line Meaning
Put the van tape on
Let's listen to some music in the van
Bay at the moon
Let's howl like wolves
Rub each other down so good
Let's massage each other to relieve stress
Forget about the tune that's playing
Let's get lost in our own thoughts and feelings
Joan went east
Our friend Joan went in one direction
And she went west
Our friend Joan went in another direction
I stayed right here in the middle
I preferred to stay in the place where I was
That's where I liked it best
I felt most comfortable there
The good times we had
We enjoyed some wonderful moments together
Wouldn't worry about tomorrow
We didn't concern ourselves with what the future holds
Cause tonight was all we had
We lived in the present moment and enjoyed it to the fullest
I'd tell you about them baby
I could share some stories about our good times
But you were there, you were with me, too
You also experienced those moments with me
And it felt so good
Those memories bring us joy and happiness
Funny how you look back on all the times we had
It's interesting how memories can change over time
Remember all the good ones, forget about all the bad
We tend to focus on happy memories and forget about the difficult ones
Hanging out day after day in the hole in the wall
We spent a lot of time in a small and simple place
Things that seem to be so big then now somehow seems so small
Our worries and problems from the past don't seem as significant now
The heart is a hunter, the heart is a friend
Our emotions can lead us towards what we want or towards what we care about
Searching the shadows, searching 'til the end
We keep searching for what we need even if it may be difficult to find
I heard she married a guy from the valley
I found out that our friend married someone from a different place
Not for the glory but because he was a friend
She didn't marry him for superficial reasons, but because she genuinely cared for him
When the fire burn out, and the waters run dry
When things come to an end and there's nothing left
The mountains have fallen, we'll remember those times
Even when everything changes, we'll hold onto our memories
The seasons roll by, and the youth slips away
We grow older and time passes by quickly
The glory has faded, then what will we say?
When the good times are over, what will we have left to talk about?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: THOMAS WILLIAM COCHRANE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@prestonmatechuck8078
Oh, put the van tape on and bay at the moon
Rub each other down so good, forget about the tune that's playing
Joan went east and she went west
I stayed right here in the middle, that's where I liked the best
Whoa, good times we had
Wouldn't worry about tomorrow
'Cause tonight was all we had, yeah
Whoa, good times we knew
I'd tell you about them baby
But you were there, you were with me too
And it felt so good
Funny how you look back on those times we had
Remember all the good ones, forget about all the bad
Hanging out day after day in the hole in the wall
Things that seemed to be so big then now somehow seem so small
Whoa, good times we had
Wouldn't worry about tomorrow
'Cause tonight was all we had, yeah
Whoa, good times we knew
I'd tell you about them baby
But you were there, you were with me too
The heart is a hunter, the heart is a friend
Searching in the shadows, searching till the end
I heard she married a guy from the valley
Not for the glory but because he was a friend
When the fires burned out and the waters run dry
And the mountains have fallen, we'll remember those times
When the seasons roll by and the youth slips away
The glory has faded, then what will we say?
Whoa, good times we had
Wouldn't worry about tomorrow
'Cause tonight was all we had, yeah
Whoa, good times we knew
I'd tell you about them baby
But you were there, you were with me too
Oh, good times we had
Wouldn't worry about tomorrow
'Cause tonight was all we had, yeah
Oh, good times we knew
I'd tell you about them baby
But you were there, you were with me too.
@ericswain70
Put the van tape on
Bay at the moon
Rub each other down so good
Forget about the tune that's playing
Joan went east
And she went west
I stayed right here in the middle
That's where I liked it best
The good times we had
Wouldn't worry about tomorrow
Cause tonight was all we had
The good times we knew
I'd tell you about them baby
But you were there, you were with me, too
And it felt so good
Funny how you look back on all the times we had
Remember all the good ones, forget about all the bad
Hanging out day after day in the hole in the wall
Things that seem to be so big then now somehow seems so small
The good times we had
Wouldn't worry about tomorrow
Cause tonight was all we had
The good times we knew
I'd tell you about them baby
But you were there, you were with me, too
The heart is a hunter, the heart is a friend
Searching the shadows, searching 'til the end
I heard she married a guy from the valley
Not for the glory but because he was a friend
When the fire burn out, and the waters run dry
The mountains have fallen, we'll remember those times
The seasons roll by, and the youth slips away
The glory has faded, then what will we say?
The good times we had
Wouldn't worry about tomorrow
Cause tonight was all we had
The good times we knew
I'd tell you about them baby
But you were there, you were with me, too
The good times we had
Wouldn't worry about tomorrow
Cause tonight was all we had
The good times we knew
I'd tell you about them baby
But you were there, you were with me, too
@michaelkrolewski7406
My daddy past away a week ago today. I thought of this song. Seemed appropriate. We miss him greatly. Best dad in the world. 86 years old
@Etobicokemomma
So sorry man. ❤️. I lost my dad recently and I feel your loss. No words can explain it.
@toddneupert7008
Everything about this song is perfect. From beginning to end, it's a diamond in the rough. Great tune, one of the best ever made.
@Justin-uc8sc
Most beans often. Pick for the
@ufofan1980
If I ever start a radio station, I would play all of the forgotten classic rock that has gone missing from radio playlists over the years.
@king.zachalot
song, still gets played on the radio - brahvski
@Industrious1
As I get older this song gets more meaningful to me. Great track, Tom.
@virnan
My sister was all of 15 years old with a young son and me at 13, living together in a basement suite when this album came out. Yes, she is a warrior woman with a kind heart and whom I love. She is a protector, my sister is.
@thesegacampgamerandwerecam7504
I must have been 2 Years Old when I 1st Heard this song! it instantly became one of my Favorites Songs I'm 33 now going to be 34 soon! I still like going back to this Song!
@alexmustata4089
This song hits hard. Reminds you of everything, your youth, family, first love, friends etc..